Magister Legum - LLM

Individuals are constantly on the lookout for tax incentives or ways in which they can pay less tax without ending up in the tax authorities‟ bad books. Driven by the desire for a better life, individuals are willing to try everything within their legal powers and rights to avoid having to pay exorbitant taxes. South African employees are in no way an exception to these circumstances. Urged on by their belief that South African taxes are unreasonably high, individuals have crossed international borders in the hope of finding a location where their income will not be subject to exorbitant taxes. Research on the effects of taxation on labour migration has been carried out in countries such as Australia, the Netherlands, Norway and Indonesia. Although greatly affected by the growing population of labour migration, the majority of the research conducted in South Africa with regard to labour migration has focused mainly on the reasons motivating migration among skilled South African labourers. As far as could be determined, little or no research has been conducted to assess whether the reasons (inter alia, the South African personal income tax system) cited by South Africans justify the rapid rate at which South Africans flee from the country. The aim of this study is to establish whether South African employees working in the Netherlands and Australia receive any tax incentives or beneficial tax treatment that they otherwise would not have received had they remained employed in South Africa. This objective will be achieved by assessing whether a South African employee is placed in a more beneficial tax position when they accept international employment assignments in the Netherlands and Australia as opposed to the tax position they would find themselves in should they turn down any and all international employment assignments (i.e. remain employed in South Africa no matter what). The study will discuss the tax principles an employee will be subject to upon accepting an international employment assignment in either Australia or the Netherlands. The tax principles of the respective countries will then be compared to those applicable to employees who remain employed in South Africa. This comparison will be conducted with the primary objective of establishing in which of the three countries a South African employee receives the most beneficial tax treatment. AFRIKAANS : Individue is voortdurend op die uitkyk vir belastingtoegewings of maniere waarop hulle minder belasting kan betaal sonder om by die belastingowerheid in die moeilikheid te kom. Aangedryf deur die begeerte vir 'n beter lewe, is individue bereid om alles te probeer om binne hul wetlike magte en regte te voorkom dat hulle buitensporige belasting betaal. Suid-Afrikaanse werknemers is geen uitsondering in hierdie verband nie. Gemotiveer deur hul siening dat Suid-Afrikaanse belasting onredelik hoog is, het individue internasionale grense oorgesteek het in die hoop om 'n plek te vind waar hul inkomste nie onderhewig sal wees aan buitensporige belasting nie. Navorsing oor die effek van belasting op arbeidsmigrasie is in lande soos Australië, Nederland, Noorweë en Indonesië onderneem. Die meeste van hierdie navorsing het gefokus op die redes waarom geskoolde Suid-Afrikaanse werkers emigreer. Sover vasgestel kon word, is min of geen navorsing gedoen om te bepaal of die redes (onder meer, die Suid-Afrikaanse persoonlike inkomstebelastingstelsel) aangehaal deur Suid- Afrikaners die vinnige tempo regverdig waarteen Suid-Afrikaners die land verlaat nie. Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stel of Suid-Afrikaanse werknemers in Nederland en Australië enige belastingtoegewings of voordelige belastingbehandeling ontvang wat hulle nie sou ontvang het as hulle in Suid-Afrika in diens gebly het nie. Hierdie doel sal bereik word deur te bepaal of 'n Suid-Afrikaanse werknemer in 'n meer voordelige belasting posisie geplaas word wanneer hulle internasionale indiensnemingsopdragte in Nederland en Australië aanvaar, in teenstelling met die belasting posisie waarin hulle hulself sal bevind indien hulle alle internasionale indiensneming werkopdragte van die hand wys (maw tot elke prys in Suid-Afrika in diens bly). Die studie sal die belastingbeginsels bespreek waaraan 'n werknemer onderhewig sal wees by die aanvaarding van 'n internasionale indiensnemingsopdrag in Australië of Nederland. Die belastingbeginsels van die onderskeie lande sal dan vergelyk word met dié wat van toepassing op werknemers wat in Suid-Afrika in diens bly. Hierdie vergelyking sal plaasvind met die primêre doel om te bepaal in watter van die drie lande 'n Suid-Afrikaanse werknemer die mees voordelige belastinghantering ontvang. Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Mabaso, ND 2011, An international comparative study of the effect of personal income tax on labour migration, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03122012-125824 / > F12/4/170/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

Esta pesquisa apresenta um estudo detalhado da tributação passiva a ser utilizada como instrumento de proteção ambiental pelo Estado, através da análise dos fundamentos jurídicos, econômicos e ambientais. É utilizada a revisão bibliográfica e legislativa sobre o tema, no Brasil, e em alguns países da América e da Europa. Procura-se analisar a utilização da extrafiscalidade ambiental para induzir os contribuintes a condutas protecionistas. É abordada a viabilidade legal de tais tributos, bem como a efetividade dos mesmos na preservação do meio ambiente. Os tributos indutores são apresentados como forma de internalizar as externalidades negativas. São abordados exemplos de incentivos fiscais, alíquotas diferenciadas e reduções de bases de cálculo já em vigor ou em projetos de lei em tramitação. A tributação passiva é mostrada como uma forma de proteção ambiental que deve ser combinada com a tributação ativa resultando em efetiva política pública de proteção ambiental. / This research presents a detailed study of passive taxation to be used as an instrument of environmental protection by the State, by analyzing legal, economic, and environmental foundations. The bibliographic and legal reference in Brazil was used and also from other countries in America and Europe. We tried to analyze the use of an environmental excessive preocupation with the creation of taxes to induce the taxpayers to protectionist behaviors. The legal feasability of such taxes was approached, as well as its effectiveness in the preservation of the environment. The inducing taxes are presented as a means of internalizing negative externalities. Examples of tax incentive, diferentiated tax rates, and reductions in the basis of calculation were approached, those that were in force or in bills in normal course through legal channels. Passive taxation is shown as a form of environmental protection that should be combined with an active taxation, resulting in an effective public policy of environmental protection.

Este estudo tem por escopo analisar o conceito das cláusulas de tax sparing e matching credit, os principais argumentos favoráveis e contrários à utilização desses mecanismos e as hipóteses em que tais cláusulas são adotadas, nos âmbitos nacional e internacional. Sabe-se que, em um primeiro momento, a Organização para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE) chegou a recomendar a utilização das cláusulas de tax sparing nos acordos de bitributação celebrados entre países com graus diferentes de desenvolvimento econômico, como uma forma de atrair investimentos para os países menos desenvolvidos. No entanto, em relatório publicado em 1998, denominado Tax sparing: a reconsideration, a OCDE reviu sua posição inicial sobre o assunto, passando então a desencorajar o uso dessas cláusulas por seus países membros, através de diversas críticas e questionamentos acerca de sua adoção. O Brasil, por sua vez, desde os primeiros acordos de bitributação celebrados, nos primórdios da década de 1960, tem firmado a política de sempre negociar cláusulas de tax sparing e matching credit, especialmente nos acordos celebrados com países desenvolvidos. Considerando-se tal cenário, pretende-se, com o presente trabalho, estudar as cláusulas de tax sparing e matching credit de forma profunda, de modo a oferecer subsídios para um adequado enfrentamento da questão em futuras negociações de acordos de bitributação pelo País. / The purpose of this study is to analyze the concept of tax sparing and matching credit clauses, the main arguments for and against the use of these mechanisms and the circumstances in which such clauses are adopted, nationally and internationally. It is known that, at first, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) used to recommend the inclusion of tax sparing clauses in double taxation conventions concluded between countries with different levels of economic development, as a way of attracting investments for less developed countries. However, the OECD revised its initial position on the subject in a report published in 1998, called \"Tax sparing: a reconsideration\", discouraging the use of such clauses by its member countries through various criticisms and questions about their adoption. In its turn, since the first double taxation agreements concluded in the early 1960s the Brazilian policy regarding the matter has always been to negotiate tax sparing and matching credit clauses, especially in conventions with developed countries. Given such a scenario, this paper aims at studying tax sparing and matching credit clauses deeply, in order to provide devices for an accurate understanding of the issue in future negotiations of double taxation conventions by the Country.

This study sought to examine whether the use of tax incentives to boost investment into the SME sector is an effective policy for economic development. More specifically, the study focused on the Section 12J tax incentive of the Income Tax Act of South Africa, which underpins the current venture capital companies' (VCC) regime for this country. This VCC regime is aimed at addressing the challenge of lack of access to finance by SMEs, and it does so by incentivising venture capital investors to provide equity capital to qualifying SMEs. These SMEs are, in turn, expected to grow and help reduce the economic challenges of poverty and unemployment in South Africa. A mixed methods research approach was adopted for this study. It was also inductive in nature, based on primary data collected from a survey of various stakeholders of the VCC regime using a convenience sampling method. The data variables of the study were based on factors relating to the impact that the VCC regime has had on SMEs in terms of financial performance and creation of decent employment. The study concludes that the VCC regime has had a positive impact on the South African SME sector in terms of financial performance and creation of decent employment. As a result, the VCC regime has shown to be an effective tool for addressing various economic challenges, such as: lack of access to finance faced by SMEs, high failure rate of SME businesses, and poverty alleviation through provision of decent employment by SMEs. Thus, the resultant recommendation submitted in the study is that the VCC regime should as such be extended beyond its current sunset date in order to ensure the South African economy continues to enjoy the benefits that the regime has to offer.

This study discusses South Africa’s tax incentives for small businesses and identifies shortcomings and areas of concern within the tax incentive regimes. A comparison of small business tax incentives provided by Australia, India, and the United Kingdom is made with South Africa’s small business tax incentives to identify similarities and differences, and new lessons are learned from the approaches of other countries. As a result of the comparison with the tax dispensations available to small businesses in other countries, the study recommends additional tax incentives that could be implemented by South Africa. Only those tax incentives that are available in other countries but not in South Africa that were deemed worthwhile were recommended to be introduced in the Republic. Recommendations were also made based on the gaps identified in South Africa’s small business tax incentives. / College of Accounting Sciences / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

A quarter of the labour force in South Africa is currently unemployed. The majority of the unemployed are between the ages of 18 and 29 years. The causes of these poor employment statistics has been widely debated, however, the cost of unskilled South African labour is a common thread. One of the solutions to improve the statistics is to implement tax incentives to reduce the cost of labour, which would theoretically increase the demand of the labour. Countries such as the United States of America have implemented some form of tax incentive to promote job creation over the years. South Africa has, however, not used this alternative to deal with unemployment. The problem had escalated to such a state that the Government announced in 2011 that it would spend R5 billion on job creation and announced that the funds would be spent through the implementation of a youth wage subsidy. Current studies on policy choices to promote job creation in South Africa discuss the possible tax incentives which could be implemented. However, these studies have not evaluated the successes of these incentives in other countries and whether it would be possible to apply them to a South African context. The proposed youth wage subsidy has not been analysed in terms of the incentives implemented in other countries to determine whether or not they would be successful in South Africa. The aim of the study was to determine if there was a gap in the tax legislation with regard to motivating job creation and how this gap could best be filled. This was achieved by firstly, analysing the key causes of unemployment in South Africa, and secondly, determining whether any of the current tax legislation measures deal with those causes. Two tax incentives implemented in the United States of America were analysed for their successes and failures in order to determine what South Africa needs to do if it was to implement any similar incentives. Finally, the National Treasury’s discussion paper on its proposed youth wage subsidy was analysed against the findings identified above to determine whether the subsidy is viable in the South African labour market. AFRIKAANS : ’n Kwart van die arbeidsmag in Suid-Afrika is tans werkloos met die meeste werkloses tussen die ouderdom van 18 en 29 jaar. Daar word reeds geruime tyd geredeneer oor die oorsaak van die swak arbeidstatistieke, tog is daar ooreenstemming dat die koste van ongeskoolde arbeid in Suid-Afrika ’n bydraende faktor is. Belastingaansporings wat die koste van arbeid verminder en dus teoreties die vraag na arbeid verhoog, kan moontlik die swak arbeidstatistieke verbeter. Lande soos die Verenigde State van Amerika het met verloop van jare sekere belastingaansporings ingestel om werkskepping te bevorder. Suid-Afrika het egter nog nie dié alternatief gebruik om die probleem van werkloosheid aan te pak nie. Die probleem het sulke afmetings aangeneem dat die regering in 2011 bekend gemaak het dat hy R5 biljoen aan werkskepping sal bestee in die vorm van die implementering van ’n jeugloonsubsidie. Huidige navorsing oor beleidskeuses om werkskepping in Suid-Afrika te bevorder, handel oor die moontlike belastingaansporings wat ingestel kan word. Dié navorsing evalueer egter nie die sukses van hierdie aansporings in ander lande of die moontlikheid van die toepassing daarvan op Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede nie. Die huidige navorsing ontleed ook nie die voorgestelde jeugloonsubsidie aan die hand van die aansporings wat in ander lande ingestel is om sodoende te bepaal of dit hier sal slaag nie. Die doel van die navorsing was om te bepaal of daar ’n gaping in die wetgewing oor belasting is ten opsigte van die aanmoediging van werkskepping en hoe sodanige gaping ten beste gevul kan word. Dié navorsing het in sy doel geslaag deur eerstens die sleuteloorsake van werkloosheid in Suid-Afrika te ontleed en tweedens te bepaal of enige van die huidige belastingwetgewingsmaatreëls daardie oorsake aanspreek. Die sukses én mislukking van twee belastingaansporings wat in die Verenigde State van Amerika ingestel is, te ontleed ten einde te bepaal wat Suid-Afrika moet doen indien hy enige soortgelyke aansporings sou implementeer. Ten laaste is die besprekingsdokument oor die voorgestelde jeugloonsubsidie van die Nasionale Tesourie ontleed aan die hand van bogenoemde bevindings om te bepaal of die subsidie in die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark lewensvatbaar sou wees. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

The objective of this study is to restrict the emission of greenhouse gasses by investigating if this objective would be reached by the implementation of a tax. Global warming is caused by the emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. In order to restrict global warming it is necessary for individuals and entities to act in a more environmentally friendly manner and to emit less greenhouse gasses. A further objective of this study is to investigate various measures that can be used as an incentive to restrict the emission of greenhouse gasses. This study found that the main emitters of greenhouse gasses are power stations, industries and the transport sector. This study will therefore focus on the reduction of greenhouse gasses in these areas. The way to identify methods used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is to investigate the techniques that first world countries use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to judge the level of success they achieved and to compare their methods to the definition of a “good tax”. It was found that “cap-and-trade” is a better model than carbon tax for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by power stations and industries. It was also found that a combination between a tax on fuel and a tax calculated on greenhouse gas emissions per kilometre for each individual vehicle will result in the greatest reduction in the emission of greenhouse gasses produced by the transportation sector. AFRIKAANS : Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om die vrystelling van groenhuis uitlaatgasse te beperk deur ondersoek in te stel of die doelwit bereik kan word deur die implementering van 'n belasting. Globale aardverwarming word veroorsaak deur 'n oormaat vrystelling van groenhuisgasse in die atmosfeer. Om globale aardverwarming te beperk, sal individue, sowel as entiteite, meer omgewingsvriendelik moet optree deur minder groenhuisgasse vry te stel. 'n Verdere doelwit van hierdie studie is om verskeie metodes, insluitende belasting, te ondersoek waardeur die vrystelling van groenhuisgasse verminder kan word. In die studie is vasgestel dat kragstasies, industrieë en vervoerstelsels die hoofvrystellers van groenhuisgasse is. Die fokus van die studie is dus gerig op die vermindering van groenhuisgasvrystelling spesifiek in hierdie areas. Die wyse om metodes, wat gebruik word om groenhuisgasvrystellings te verminder, te identifiseer, is om die tegnieke wat in eerste wêreldlande gebruik word te ondersoek, om die vlak van sukses wat daarmee bereik word, te bepaal en om daardie metodes teen die definisie van 'n “goeie belasting” te toets. Daar is gevind dat “uitlaatgas handel” 'n beter model is as koolstofdioksiedbelasting ten einde 'n vermindering van groenhuisgasvrystellings deur kragstasies en industrieë te bewerkstellig. Daar is ook gevind dat ‘n kombinasie van ‘n belasting op brandstof en ‘n belasting bereken op groenhuisgasvrystellings per kilometer van elke individuele voertuig die grootste vermindering in groenhuisgasvrystellings in die vervoerstelsel sal meebring. Copyright / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Taxation / unrestricted

This dissertation investigates the possibilities of increased use of direct and indirect support for R&D in small and medium-sized companies operating in branches of the manufacturing industry in the Czech Republic and specialising in the production of computers and electronic and optical instrumentation and equipment. The choice of the topic of this work was motivated by personal experience in a field in which companies either have not had enough information to take advantages of subsidies for research and development or have had negative experience relating to applications for direct support for research and development. These facts have presented obstacles to the realisation of research and development in corporate practice. The aim of this dissertation is to propose a methodology for the use of available tools in support for research and development in the Czech Republic and its verification against real data from selected companies. Data from primary and secondary research was used to investigate the selected area of academic knowledge. A questionnaire investigation was performed on the basis of knowledge obtained from detailed research of Czech and foreign literary sources. The respondents were companies in the electronic industry. The dissertation presents the results of empirical research and an assessment of research questions relating to a comparison of a selected sample of companies actively realising research and development with companies engaged merely in production with no innovative processes. On the basis of questionnaire processing and the testing of research questions, a methodology was created for small and medium-sized companies with the use of fuzzy logic facilitating decision-making in the financing of research and development activities with the use of direct and indirect support. Use of the proposed methodology will allow companies to expand sources of financing for the innovation process as an essential part of the competitive battle in the industry in question. The methodology is a significant aid for strategic decision-making in small and medium-sized companies considering the introduction of research, development and innovation. Benefits of this dissertation can be seen not merely on the theoretical and practical level, but also in the area of education.

No description available.